


Welcome Home, Withering Sun

by orphan_account



Category: NCT (Band), NCT Dream
Genre: Angst, Author Can't Tag, Donghyuck is the only boy ever, Dork Lee Jeno, Flirty Na Jaemin, Fluff and Angst, Hair from we go up era, I'm so sorry markhyuck, Light Angst, M/M, Mark Lee & Park Jisung (NCT) Are Siblings, Mark Lee & Seo Youngho | Johnny Are Siblings, Mark Lee (NCT) is Whipped, Mark Needs Sleep, Rated teen for swearing, Short Chapters, Siren! Donghyuck, Sirens, the world needs more platonic renhyuck, the world needs more renhyuck in general
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2020-02-29 08:10:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18774685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "I heard sirens cry when they're happy, not when they're sad."in which mark is a college student trying to figure things out when he meets a pretty boy with a tail.





	1. [One]

**Author's Note:**

> author regrets posting this. author also wrote this while listening to minecraft music. please kill author.

Korea wasn’t what he imagined it to be like. When Johnny described Ulsan, the town they grew up when Mark was just a baby (they moved to America when he was a few years old), his face visibly softened and he smiled like he couldn’t help it.  As he walks on the docks late one night, he recalls a conversation they once had. Johnny always talked about the sea. He said the thing he missed most about Ulsan was the ocean. He recalled the beach in great detail, conjuring vivid images in Mark's young head of the warm sand and bright blue waves and soaring birds.

He never mentioned how heavy the air in Korea seemed. The atmosphere was oppressive and sucked the life out of Mark. It was difficult to make friends and no matter where he went, he felt like he stood out like a puzzle piece that wouldn’t fit. Not to mention when he returned from a long night holed up in the university library, he barely had the energy to make something to eat and shower but found he couldn’t sleep either.

Some nights, he heard singing. Whoever it was, they sang well. In fact, their technique was better than his and as a student at SOPA, he liked to consider himself a decent judge.

Mark didn’t ask a lot of questions. Someone does something? Cool, not his business. A random stranger with a beautiful voice likes to sing at night? Great, they’re not bothering him. One time, however, he was drawn to the window in his small apartment that overlooked the ocean. Curiosity had gotten the better of Mark. He opened the window carefully as if any sudden noise would scare the stranger away. The smell of salt flooded his senses and he was briefly blinded by the full moon hanging perfectly in the sky. As he had looked around though, he realized he couldn’t see anyone. He frowned and focused for a second. It sounded like the singing was coming from the water. The sad melody floated across the waves and into his bedroom. That night, he rested his head on the window sill, crouched down on his knees, and didn’t sleep a wink. Whoever was out there, he understood how they felt, even if he couldn’t understand the words to their song.

Which brings Mark back to where he is right now. The day was particularly rough and he couldn’t shut his mind off. As he had laid in bed, just 30 minutes ago, sleep refused to come to him no matter how many times he pleaded and offered his soul to Satan. Eventually, Mark gave up and walked the short 15 minutes down to the docks. He sits down and situates himself on the wooden slats. His feet are bare, having discarded his shoes farther up shore where the sand met the grass. He tips his feet into the water. It’s cold but refreshing. He expects to hear singing but it never comes so he fills the silence with his own voice. His sings Palette by IU. His voice cracks a few times due to spending the past few hours in silence reading textbooks. He goes through all of IU’s discography and by the end of it his eyelids feel heavy. He stumbles back to his cramped apartment with one last look at the ocean and a yawn. He accomplished nothing and yet he feels deeply satisfied and at ease.

As soon as his head hits his pillow he falls asleep.

* * *

 

Mark wakes up to the sound of beeping which is strange considering he doesn’t have any classes today so he never set his alarm. Shit, does he have classes? He bolts up, groaning when the sudden movement makes his head throb. He looks around for the source only to discover the noise was just Johnny calling him. He scowls before deciding to pick up.

“Good morning hyung,” Mark says sleepily, ignoring the fact that his clock tells him it’s noon.

“Hey!” Johnny says. Mark winces. His brother isn’t a loud speaker but right now his head is pounding and he feels like he just died and came back. He finally slept, but it wasn’t very restful. “The weather is supposed to be nice today so I was thinking maybe we could hang out. It’s been a while, yeah?

Has it been a while? He frowns. When was the last time he talked to his brother? He feels guilty - after all, Mark isn’t the only one who moved across the world to study in Korea. Johnny came with him. He can’t even have the decency to check up on brother?

He drags himself out of bed. He catches a glimpse of his messy black hair, dark eyes, and wrinkled shirt in the mirror on the way to the kitchen. God really has forsaken him, huh? Opening the fridge and grabbing a Monster he says, “It has. I’ll be over in an hour, hyung.”

“See you soon Markey!” He can practically hear Johnny smiling over the phone.

He makes cereal for breakfast because he can’t cook to save his life. As he eats, he wonders if he’ll ever fit in. Often, it feels like he’s looking on the outside in. He drinks his Monster while he showers then throws on a t-shirt and some shorts.

The day passes uneventfully. The pair goes to the boardwalk and afterward get dinner. Johnny asks him how he’s settling in and how university is. Mark tiptoes around the questions knowing that if his brother was aware of how he felt he’d blame himself. After dinner, they depart. They stand outside the restaurant as the sun melts into the ocean. Johnny gives him a hug.

“Thanks for moving with me. I know I’m your hyung so I’m supposed to be strong but I wouldn’t have made it without you, little bro.”

"You sacrificed stuff too!" Mark insists, "I know you miss mom and Jisung."

"I do,"but we're here to make 'em proud, right? Soon, Jisungie is gonna be able to tell his friends about his famous brothers." Johnny says with a cat-like grin.

Mark returns it. Korea isn't what he imagined it would be like, but at least he has his brother. The two part ways and his footsteps feel a little lighter. Life isn't entirely bad. Except he has to clean when he gets home. Fuck. Okay, so things could be better.

He arrives him, tosses his keys on the table, and starts hauling ass. The quicker he gets cleaning over with, the more time he has to watch television. He's in the middle of sweeping (yes, Mark can sweep) when he hears singing except it sounds vaguely familiar so he goes over to his window to hear.

_I like it_

_I'm twenty five_

_I know you hate me_

_I got this I'm truly fine_

_I think I know a little bit about myself now_

He quickly recognizes it as the song he sang last night.  He searches around again but it's dark and the moon is just a small sliver in the sky so he can't see. Mark leans against the window with his broom still in hand. They had heard him! Truthfully, he was a little embarrassed. The mystery singer has a voice soft like petals and sweet like strawberries unlike him. He's never even heard them make a mistake. He can't resent them, however, because their voice is rather pleasant and provides a good distraction from his thoughts. Music has always been a big part of Mark's life ever since he was a little boy. To him it was more than just sounds. He listened to music when he was sad and when he was happy and when he was stressed and when he was in love. Every song has a message - a message that someone, somewhere can relate to - and he can't wait to be apart of that once he graduates. All the sleepless nights would be worth it. 

In the midst of his thoughts, he doesn't notice the broom slipping from his grip. 

"Shit!" 

And just like that, Mark continues on with his night, barely even thinking of the occurrence. 


	2. [two]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> angst ensues. mark learns the ocean is made of salt and sunshine boys and devil mermaids

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE'LL TAKE THE HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN OH YEAH YEAH YEAH
> 
>  
> 
> ah shit, here we go again

He flips on his back and relaxes. The sun, unrestrained by any clouds in the sky, beats down relentlessly on him and warms his cold blood. Water laps gently against his sun-kissed skin. Drifting between the fuzzy boundaries of sleep and the world of the waking, Donhyuck thinks of the strange human boy who sang last night. He had watched the boy from underneath the surface of the water, desperately wishing to swim up and say hello. However, Renjun had taught him differently and warned him of the potential dangers of humans. Even if that human didn’t seem bad, there was no such thing as being too careful, so hidden Donghyuck stayed until the boy finished his song and left.

He hums a small tune in content. He isn’t allowed to sing during the say since Renjun said it was too dangerous even if they did stay far away from shore during daylight. The pair had just recently arrived from the Philippines where they stayed in the winter. Both Donghyuck and Renjun were born off the coast of Ulsan so they always visited in the summer once the water warmed. He smiles to himself. He’ll always prefer the warmer water in the Philippines but nothing beats being home again.

Before slipping off into unconsciousness, Hyuck wonders if he'll get to hear the boy sing again tonight.

* * *

After dinner with Johnny, the rest of Mark’s week went progressively downhill. Homework continued to pile on and the money he had saved up was slowly dwindling. He has to get a job soon. So on a day dark enough to match his mood, he went job hunting. The clouds, heavy with rain, clung close to the city. Mark curses whatever gods are out there as he steps out into the cold and damp atmosphere. He pulls his hood up, shoves his hands in his pockets, and decides to start off at the coffee shop he goes to on the way to Uni.

As he walks into the cafe, a small bell goes off signaling his arrival. The coffee shop is full of people taking shelter from the chilly rain. The people in front of Mark catch his attention - one of them has striking pink hair and dressed in colorful clothes and the other looks like an omen of terrible things to come. Why they're holding hands and laughing together escapes Mark. They're wearing matching jewelry too. On both of their wrists are bracelets made of... seaweed? He frowns. That's a little strange. Is seaweed fashion a popular thing in Ulsan?

"D'you like it?"

Mark practically jumps out of his skin. The boy with pink hair looks at him expectantly and the scary one watches with disinterest. Something he didn't notice about them from the back was the green tint to their eyes.  _Contacts_ , he says to himself,  _eye contacts. Now make conversation, dumb fuck!_

"Yeah!" He says a little too enthusiastically. "I've never seen accessories made of seaweed, where'd you buy it from?"

"I made them myself," The pink haired one says. The brunette nods in assent. 

"Really? That's so cool," Mark says. And it actually is. He's never met someone who made jewelry from hand. He wonders if the silver earrings the scary one is wearing are also homemade. "I've never been good with my hands. I'm a clumsy guy."

The pink haired guy lets out a bubbly giggle. Mark doesn't get whats so funny but he laughs along nervously anyways. Was it something he said? He goes to ask but then the scary one tugs on the other boy's hand and says, "Nana, our turn." His voice is surprising lighter than he expected. From his outward appearance, he looked like the type to have the voice of a 60 year old biker who's had a bit too much to drink. The pink haired guy - Nana? But there's no way his real name is Nana. Anyways, the so-called Nana says goodbye and goes to order. The cashier at another register calls him over and Mark orders and asks if they're hiring. He almost cries when he hears they are. Jesus loves him again. He gets the website where he can submit an application. While he waits for his coffee to finish, he pulls up the website and works on an application. 

Outside the sun peeks out from behind the clouds. Things are finally looking up. 

* * *

Life is terrible and no one deserves to live. Except Jisung. 

 

**Markey**

_They did what?! (`A´)_

**Mochi Sung**

_hyung calm down, it's not a big deal_

 

**Markey**

_Big deal my ass!!!!_

**Mochi Sung**

_swearing_

**Markey**

_Shut up this is about your issues not mine_

_Did you tell mom?_

**Mochi Sung**

_............_

_no_

**Markey**

_Hhhhh_

_Did you tell Chenle-ah?_

**Mochi Sung**

_yeah_

_he told them to stop saying stuff_

**Markey**

_Teen romance, what a feeling(⺣◡⺣)♡*_

**Mochi Sung**

_goodbye hyung_

_thanks for talking to me_

_love you_

**Markey**

_ღゝ◡╹)ノ♡_

 

 

Mark throws his phone and groans into his pillow. How is he supposed to beat up the twats saying stuff about his baby brother when he's across the world? There wasn't much he could do back home but at least he could keep an eye on Jisung and make sure he was doing simple things he forgot to do sometimes when he gets upset like brush his teeth and shower and interact with people. He gets up with a huff. SOPA isn't worth it. He really should just move back to Canada, dreams be damned. But as he looks at the production equipment tucked into a corner in his apartment that took forever to save up for he realizes things are aren't so simple. His mom spent a lot of money to send him and Johnny to Korea so they could do what makes them happy. As a teen he would tap out beats on the bus almost every day and daydream of making music for people. 

He needs fresh air. He heads out with no real destination and ends up at the docks. Mark watches his reflection in the water. Things aren't supposed to be this complicated. Life is supposed to be clear cut and dry and not this weird, gray in between. 

Mark jumps. The water is so cold it burns. He quickly swims for the surface in a futile attempt to get away from the freezing temperature. He treads water and kicks his legs harder than he needs to to get his blood circulating. Underneath the bustle of Ulsan and the crashing of the waves Mark can hear his shuddering breaths. 

He flips over on his back and relaxes. The moon, unrestrained by any clouds, shines down on him and casts the world in an eerie glow. Water laps against his skin.  

Suddenly a hand grabs his ankle. Mark opens his mouth to scream but his lungs are filled with water. Opening his eyes, he sees a faint glow piercing the cloudy water - the surface. He swims towards the light. Something’s holding him down. He looks to see if his leg is caught in something but the water is too murky. Mark desperately thrashes his arms. He can’t breathe. His chest aches. Is this how he dies? Will anyone find his body? What will they say at his funeral? Nothing good, of course, but _still_.

Something grabs him. Mark squeezes his eyes shut. If he’s being dragged to an evil lair he doesn’t want to see. The he feels something underneath him. He hesitantly reaches out. It’s sand. Holy shit, he can breathe again!

 “Hi?” An unfamiliar voice says. Next to Mark sits a boy with tan skin, brown hair, and a brilliantly gold tail that shines in the moonlight. Wait! His hair isn’t entirely brown. Closer inspection reveals streaks of spring green hair. And a tail. Oh.

“Close your mouth, you’ll catch fish.” The boy says. He leans over and gently closes Mark’s mouth. He sounds vaguely familiar.

“You- you have a tail.”

“Ah,” he says, sinking further into the water and effectively submerging his tail, partially blocking Mark’s view of it, “I do.”

“Are you a mermaid?”

The boy wrinkles his nose. “I am not.”

“Then what are you?”

“I’m Donghyuck,” the brunette says and scratches behind his ear.

“I’m Mark.” There’s a beat of silence. Maybe Donghyuck will kill him for asking, but he did just almost die only to find a not-mermaid sitting next to him. He’s got a few questions “Did you drown me?”

“No, those were mermaids. Jeno and Jaemin always cause trouble around here.” The brunette notices the furrow to his brows and the frown on his lips and sighs. “ _I’m_ not a mermaid but _they_ are,” he explains.

“Oh.”

Mark must be sleep deprived. Or dead. Maybe this all a hallucination from lack of oxygen to his brain. Donghyuck slips back into the water and swims a few feet away. He treads water and tries to speak but Mark cuts him off.

“Are you the one who sings at night?”

Donghyuck gapes at him.

“Close your mouth, you’ll catch fish,” Mark parrots. He doesn’t respond. Did he just anger a powerful sea creature? If he wasn’t dead before he is now. Surprisingly, though, Donghyuck laughs and it's like the sun rose in the dead of night. He laughs like tinkling bells and singing birds. Mark thinks he might be made of sunshine. 

"I am. I was hoping you wouldn't figure that out though. My rendition of your song wasn't very good..." 

"You sing better than me"

Donghyuck's lips twist up into a shy smile. "Thank you. I have to go. Goodbye then, Mark."

Like that, as quick as he had come, the not-mermaid disappears. Mark trudges home in soaking wet clothes. He almost slips busts his head open in the shower. Near death experiences really tire a man out, huh?  Without much fanfare, he crawls into bed and feels as if he's still in the ocean. He dreams of deep sea creatures with narrow eyes and rows of sharp teeth. He also dreams of pretty boys with beautiful voices and golden tails.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the fuck is a p l o t. anyways, i'm really sorry if this poorly written. i'm going through some really shitty writers block with my main story i'm working on and so i decided to force myself to write some half-assed siren au for my favorite boys. i guess this is just some kinda vent work ^^;

**Author's Note:**

> stream take off


End file.
